Case Study In Florida Research Articles

Can Empirical Demand Models Assist in CON Comparative Reviews? A Case Study in Florida

Certificate‐of‐Need (CON) programs for new hospital construction are intended to foster the best selection among competing hospital applications, given demands for hospital care in the community. Yet, the merits of CON depend in part on the quality of the comparative review process. This article examines a case study in Florida to illustrate the utility of empirical evaluations using patient choice models. I estimate such models to show how patients would respond to a change in hospital choices. By simulating the welfare effects of the proposed hospitals, I can further predict how prices of hospital care differ by applicant. Results suggest that empirical analysis using data on patient choice of hospitals may better inform the review process. At the same time, however, it may not give a unique ranking without additional analysis of the fixed costs of proposed services in the context of existing marketwide capacity.

Errata

This errata makes several corrections to the following articles in the March 2014 issue: “Testing an Innovative Evaporative Suppressant for Reducing Losses From Lakes” by Kent Sovocool et al; “Transform the Lowly Rebate Into the Upfront Cash of a Coupon Bonanza!” by Melanie K. Goetz; “DNA‐based Microbial Analysis Detects and Locates Potential Contamination in Distribution Systems” by Trevor Ghylin; and “A Florida Case Study on the Protection of Source Water” by William S. Bilenky and Paria Shirzadi.

A Florida case study on the protection of source water

This case study reports on why multiple site investigation technologies should be undertaken to give reasonable assurance that the subsurface geology is capable of sustaining the loads placed on it by waste or other material.

Developing local safety performance functions versus calculating calibration factors for SafetyAnalyst applications: A Florida case study

Safety performance functions (SPFs) are a required input to the newly released SafetyAnalyst software tool. Although SafetyAnalyst provides default SPFs that were developed based on data from multiple states in the United States, agencies have the option to calibrate local SPFs to better reflect their local conditions. However, the benefit from local calibration of SPFs is unclear and may vary from state to state. Using statistical goodness-of-fit measures and visual plots, this paper compares the performance of locally-calibrated SPFs using Florida data with the default SPFs from SafetyAnalyst for both freeway interchange influence areas and basic segments. An interchange influence area is one that extends 0.3 miles upstream and downstream of the respective gore point. Unlike for intersections, an automatic process for segmenting the influence areas for interchanges based on the above definition is relatively complex. Therefore, this paper also describes a spatial method to automatically segment a freeway facility into interchange influence areas and basic segments. Using four years of local crash data (2007–2010) from Florida, SPFs for both types of segments for both urban and rural areas were developed using the negative binomial regression model. The results showed that Florida-specific SPFs generally produced better-fitted models than the calibrated SafetyAnalyst default SPFs. This was clear in that the majority of Florida-specific models had higher Freeman–Tukey R-square (RFT2), as well as lower mean absolute deviance (MAD) and mean square prediction error (MSPE) estimates. Overall, the results suggest that agencies implementing SafetyAnalyst could improve their crash prediction by developing local-specific SPFs.

Use of Rotational Stocking in Combination With Cultural Practices for Smutgrass Control—A Florida Case Study

• Smutgrass ( Sporobolus indicus ) is an invasive plant in Florida sandy soils, prevalent in central and south Florida where temperatures seldom drop below freezing and hard frost events are infrequent. • Smutgrass becomes nonpalatable to cattle as it matures and cattle avoid grazing it after the emergence of seed stalks and when leaves become tough. However, young smutgrass growth is palatable to cattle. • High stocking densities in combination with severe defoliation have proven deleterious for this grass. This study evaluated the use of increased stock density and rotational grazing management for 3 years following a one-time defoliation by mowing or burning smutgrass infested pastures.

Network RTK: A case study in Florida

Traditionally, in RTK (Real Time Kinematic) GPS (Global Positioning System), rovers receive RTK data from a single RTK reference station. Nonetheless, as the distance increase between the stations, range measurements become more and more uncorrelated and this limits the ability to resolve the atmospheric and orbital errors. To overcome this drawback, Network RTK concept has been developed. In Network RTK rather than only base station and rover(s), as the name indicates, there are network of reference stations. These reference stations continuously stream GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) data to central server running Network RTK software and these measurements are used to generate corrections for the region ideally encompassed by the reference stations using advanced interpolation techniques. It means that Network RTK covers larger area and still maintains the same level of performance. In this study, to evaluate their performance, four RTK corrections, namely, MAX, I-MAX, VRS and FKP are compared.

Stakeholder Analysis of a Collaborative Watershed Management Process: A Florida Case Study1

Borisova, Tatiana, Laila Racevskis, and Jennison Kipp, 2012. Stakeholder Analysis of a Collaborative Watershed Management Process: A Florida Case Study.Journal of the American Water Resources Association(JAWRA) 48(2): 277‐296. DOI:10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00615.xAbstract: This study focuses on a Florida watershed where development of a total maximum daily load (TMDL) and its implementation plan resulted in conflicts among stakeholders. The overall goal is to build a better understanding of stakeholder perceptions of water quality problems, water policy processes and decisions, and water management plan development in a region where these issues have become contentious. Findings are based on a stakeholder analysis using qualitative data collected through focus groups with agricultural producers, local governments, and environmental groups, and supplemented with additional qualitative data on the watershed management process. Stakeholder conflicts in this case study are associated with perceived flaws in the structural and procedural characteristics of the stakeholder involvement process: (1) suboptimal watershed stakeholder representation on the TMDL executive committee, (2) an inappropriate voting procedure for making TMDL decisions, (3) limitations in information sharing between regulatory agencies and watershed stakeholders, and (4) stakeholders’ doubts about whether tradeoffs associated with achieving the water quality targets were assessed adequately throughout the TMDL planning and implementation process. This study contributes to the literature on collaborative watershed management by analyzing stakeholder involvement given Florida’s unique institutional settings, where implementation of TMDL pollution abatement is mandatory.

A Geographic Approach to Sectoral Carbon Inventory: Examining the Balance Between Consumption-Based Emissions and Land-Use Carbon Sequestration in Florida

Carbon accounting is an important analytical task that provides baseline information to assist in establishing emissions targets, developing market-based carbon trading programs, and facilitating sustainable carbon management at the regional to international scales. Although a substantial amount of research has focused on carbon emissions inventory, limited studies have been conducted to estimate consumption-based emissions and their spatial distribution in relation to vegetation carbon sinks. In this article, we develop a new approach to model the spatially detailed consumption-based carbon emissions from the household energy and transportation sectors. Emissions were in turn integrated with vegetation carbon sequestration rates that were modeled through biophysical remote sensing techniques. This enables carbon balance analysis at detailed geographic locations. To illustrate our approach for carbon balance analysis, we present a case study in Florida. Results indicate that, in 2001, Florida was able to self-assimilate residential carbon emissions from energy and transportation fuel consumption. Estimates indicate that net carbon sources (i.e., household emissions exceeding vegetation carbon assimilation) are associated with urban and suburban densities and net sinks with exurban and rural densities. In sum, the research approach can be extended to household energy consumption and carbon assessment for other geographies at alternative scales.

The effects of transportation network failure on people’s accessibility to hurricane disaster relief goods: a modeling approach and application to a Florida case study

Following the catastrophic and devastating Atlantic Hurricane seasons in 2004 and 2005, there has been increased interest in formulating planning directives and policy aimed at minimizing the societal impacts of future storms. Not all populations will evacuate an area forecast to be affected by a hurricane, so emergency managers must plan for these people who remain behind. Such planning includes making food, water, ice, and other provisions available at strategic locations throughout an affected area. Recent research has tackled problems related to humanitarian and relief goods distribution with respect to hurricanes. Experience shows that the torrential rains and heavy winds associated with hurricanes can severely damage transportation network infrastructure rendering it unusable. Scanning the literature on hurricane disaster relief provision, there are no studies that expressly consider the potential damage that may be caused to a transportation network by strong storms. This paper examines the impacts of simulated network failures on hurricane disaster relief planning strategies, using a smaller Florida City as an example. A relief distribution protocol is assumed where goods distribution points are set up in pre-determined locations following the passage of a storm. Simulation results reveal that modest disruptions to the transportation network produce marked changes in the number and spatial configuration of relief facilities. At the same time, the transportation network appears to be robust and is able to support relief service provision even at elevated levels of hypothesized disruption.

Florida's Approach to Natural Resource Damage Assessment: A Short, Sweet Model for States Seeking Compensation

A recent survey of state environmental regulators revealed that natural resource injuries caused by oil pollution are a major concern, yet few respondents reported pursuing compensation for damages on a regular basis. It appears that their reluctance is due to the fact that many view natural resource damage assessments (NRDA) as a costly, time-consuming and legally risky undertaking. This article presents a case study of Florida's approach to this type of regulation, which relies on the combination of a standardized arithmetic formula and an interactive GIS. Once compensation is obtained, dollars enter a trust fund from which withdrawals can be made when the balance is sufficient to conduct needed restorations. This approach is suggested as a model for jurisdictions interested in pursuing damages for natural resource injuries because it has proven to be a quick, inexpensive, and defensible mechanism for generating damage estimates, even for small spills. Like any real-world application, Florida's methodology is not perfect, but shortcomings are discussed here in depth and potential solutions presented.

Evaluation of permit success in wetland mitigation banking: A Florida case study

With the recent Final Compensatory Mitigation Rule by the US Army Corps of Engineers and US Environmental Protection Agency, wetland mitigation banking has been designated as the preferred means of compensatory mitigation after avoidance and minimization of wetland impacts. Permits and supporting documents were reviewed and site visits conducted at 29 Florida wetland mitigation banks to assess their permit-based success. Just over half of the banks included three or more ecological criteria in permit success requirements. Release of a majority of potential credits (60–75%) was strongly based on completion of activities (e.g. conservation easement, financial assurance, ditch filling). A review of bank compliance suggested that over 40% of banks had reached final success criteria or were clearly trending towards success, but that 17% of the banks were not trending towards success. Most banks were deemed successful according to permit criteria and compliance considerations, although permit criteria were not explicitly tied to ecological considerations. While permit success criteria may have been met, it was unclear what level of functional performance wetland mitigation banks provided.

Home delivery at the Orange County Library System: an exemplar from the USA

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a case study of Florida's Orange County Library System (OCLS) home delivery program, including the history, processes and cost‐effectiveness of the service.Design/methodology/approachThe approach takes a descriptive form.FindingsIt was found that the service continues to grow from 9,000 books delivered in 1975 to 840,000 in 2008. It is cost‐effective and the most popular service with patrons.Originality/valueThe paper is one of the few that describes a successful home delivery service run by a public library. It should be useful for all librarians who are keen to introduce such a service in their own library.

Aboveground Biomass of an Invasive Tree Melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia) before and after Herbivory by Adventive and Introduced Natural Enemies: A Temporal Case Study in Florida

Invasive plants can respond to injury from natural enemies by altering the quantity and distribution of biomass among woody materials, foliage, fruits, and seeds. Melaleuca, an Australian tree that has naturalized in south Florida, has been reunited with two natural enemies: a weevil introduced during 1997 and a psyllid introduced during 2002. We hypothesized that herbivory from these and other adventive organisms (lobate-lac scale and a leaf-rust fungus) would alter the distribution and allocation of biomass on melaleuca trees. This hypothesis was tested by temporally assessing changes in aboveground biomass components in conjunction with the presence of natural enemies and their damage to melaleuca trees. Melaleuca trees of different diameters representing the range (1 to 33 cm diam at 1.3 m height) within study sites were harvested during 1996, prior to the introduction of herbivorous insects, and again during 2003 after extensive tree damage had become apparent. Aboveground biomass, partitioned into several components (woody structures, foliage, fruits, and seeds), was quantified both times in Broward, Miami–Dade, and Palm Beach county sites located in south Florida. The two harvests within each site were performed in closely-matched melaleuca stands, and changes in biomass components were compared between years. Total biomass and woody portions decreased in Broward, whereas they increased in Miami–Dade and Palm Beach sites. Reductions in foliage (on all trees) and seed biomass (among seed-bearing trees) were greatest at Broward and least at Miami–Dade County site. Hence, overall seed and foliage production was severely reduced at the Broward site where both the natural enemy incidence and damage were more abundant compared to other sites. We therefore attribute the reduced foliar biomass and reproductive capability of melaleuca trees to infestations of natural enemies. These findings highlight the role that natural enemies can play in the long-term management of invasive tree species.

The Relationship between Anvil Clouds and Convective Cells: A Case Study in South Florida during CRYSTAL-FACE

One of the important goals of NASA’s Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers–Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) was to further the understanding of the evolution of tropical anvil clouds generated by deep convective systems. An important step toward understanding the radiative properties of convectively generated anvil clouds is to study their life cycle. Observations from ground-based radar, geostationary satellite radiometers, aircraft, and radiosondes during CRYSTAL-FACE provided a comprehensive look at the generation of anvil clouds by convective systems over South Florida during July 2002. This study focused on the relationship between convective rainfall and the evolution of the anvil cloud shield associated with convective systems over South Florida on 23 July 2002, during the CRYSTAL-FACE experiment. Anvil clouds emanating from convective cells grew downwind (to the southwest), reaching their maximum area at all temperature thresholds 1–2 h after the active convective cells collapsed. Radar reflectivity data revealed that precipitation-sized anvil particles extended downwind with the cloud tops. The time lag between maximum rainfall and maximum anvil cloud area increased with system size and rainfall. Observations from airborne radar and analysis of in situ cloud particle size distribution measurements in the anvil region suggested that gravitational size sorting of cloud particles dispersed downshear was a likely mechanism in the evolution of the anvil region. Linear regression analysis suggested a positive trend between this time lag and maximum convective rainfall for this case, as well as between the time lag and maximum system cloud cover. The injection of condensate into the anvil region by large areas of intense cells and dispersal in the upper-level winds was a likely explanation to cause the anvil cloud-top area to grow for 1–2 h after the surface convective rainfall began to weaken. In future work these relationships should be evaluated in differing regimes of shear, stability, or precipitation efficiency, such as over the tropical oceans, in order to generalize the results. The results of this study implied that for these cloud systems, the maximum in latent heating (proportional to rainfall) may precede the peak radiative forcing (related to anvil cloud height and area) by a lead time that was proportional to system size and strength. Mesoscale modeling simulations of convective systems on this day are under way to examine anvil evolution and growth mechanisms.

Temporary migration: a case study of Florida

Most migration statistics in the United States focus on changes in per- manent residence, thereby missing temporary moves such as the daily commute to work, business trips, vacations, and seasonal migration. In this paper, we analyze temporary migration streams in Florida, focusing on moves that include an extended stay. Using several types of survey data, we examine the characteristics of non- Floridians who spend part of the year in Florida and Floridians who spend part of the year elsewhere. We develop estimates of the number, timing, and duration of temporary moves and the origins, destinations, characteristics, and motivations of temporary migrants. This study presents the most comprehensive analysis yet of temporary migration in Florida and provides a model that can be used in other places. It also points to a serious shortcoming in the US statistical system, namely, the lack of information on temporary migration streams. We believe the American Community Survey provides an opportunity to remedy this problem.

The Phlorida Autopsy Report

Three “postmortem” case studies in Florida provide insight into the emerging nature of online fraud on small financial institutions. Discourse between researchers, first responders, and law enforce...

Law enforcement information sharing: A Florida case study

Many attempts have been made over the last several decades to improve communication among law enforcement agencies. This article is a case study of a “low-level” data sharing project in Florida that could serve as a national model. The Florida Law Enforcement Data Sharing Consortium is a partnership between the University of Central Florida and more than one hundred law enforcement agencies. It offers an inexpensive, yet technically advanced alternative to the proprietary data sharing model. Its distributed architecture was endorsed by the Markle Foundation, the 9/11 Commission, and the 2004 National Security Act. Civil liberties concerns raised by this and other types of data sharing projects are discussed.

Performance Assessment of the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN), Using the Los Alamos Sferic Array (LASA) as Ground Truth

Abstract The World Wide Lighting Location Network (WWLLN) locates lightning globally, using sparsely distributed very low frequency (VLF) detection stations. Due to WWLLN’s detection at VLF (in this case ∼10 kHz), the lightning signals from strong strokes can propagate up to ∼104 km to WWLLN sensors and still be suitable for triggering a station. A systematic evaluation of the performance of WWLLN is undertaken, using a higher-frequency (0–500 kHz) detection array [the Los Alamos Sferic Array (LASA)] as a ground truth during an entire thunderstorm season in a geographically confined case study in Florida. It is found that (a) WWLLN stroke-detection efficiency rises sharply to several percent as the estimated lightning current amplitude surpasses ∼30 kA; (b) WWLLN spatial accuracy is around 15 km, good enough to resolve convective-storm cells within a larger storm complex; (c) WWLLN is able to detect intracloud and cloud-to-ground discharges with comparable efficiency, as long as the current is comparable; (d) WWLLN detects lightning-producing storms with high efficiency in every 3-h epoch; thus, WWLLN can be useful for locating deep convection for weather forecasting on 3-h update cycles; and (e) WWLLN detects a stroke count in each storm that is weakly proportional to the stroke count detected by LASA. Thus, to the extent that lightning rate can serve as a statistical proxy for rainfall, WWLLN may eventually provide rainfall-proxy data to be assimilated in 3-h forecast update cycles.

Fertilizer-Derived Uranium and Sulfur in Rangeland Soil and Runoff: A Case Study in Central Florida

Fertilizer applications to rangeland and pastures in central Florida have potential impact on the nutrient–sensitive ecosystems of Lake Okeechobee and the Northern Everglades. To investigate the effects of fertilizer applications, three soil profiles from variably managed and improved rangeland, and four samples of surface runoff from both fertilized and unfertilized pasture were collected. In addition to determining nutrient concentrations, isotopic analyses of uranium (U) and sulfur (S) were performed to provide isotopic evidence for U derived from historically applied phosphate (P)-bearing fertilizer (234U238U activity ratio =1.0 ± 0.05), and Sderived from recently applied ammonium sulfate fertilizer(δ34S=3.5permil).The distribution and mobility of fertilizer−derived U in these samples is considered to be analogous to that of fertilizer−derived phosphate.Variations of U concentrations and234U/238U activity ratios in soils indicate contribution of fertilizer-derived U in the upper portions of the fertilized soil (15–}34 percent of total U). The U isotope data for runoff from the fertilized field also are consistent with some contribution from fertilizer-derived U. Parallel investigations of S showed no consistent chemical or isotopic evidence for significant fertilizer-derived sulfate in rangeland soil or runoff. Relatively abundant and isotopically variable S present in the local environment hinders detection of fertilizer-derived sulfate. The results indicate a continuing slow-release of fertilizer-derived U and, by inference, P, to the P-sensitive ecosystem, and a relatively rapid release of sulfate of possible natural origin.

Incentives and Physician Specialty Choice: A Case Study of Florida's Program in Medical Sciences

The growing shortage of primary care physicians in medically underserved areas of the nation led medical schools and policymakers years ago to design and fund numerous innovative medical education programs to foster the development of a more balanced physician workforce. Florida's Program in Medical Sciences (PIMS) was an example of one such initiative that was established in fall 1971 at Florida State University (FSU). A precursor of the present-day FSU College of Medicine, this program was created specifically to address the growing need for primary care physicians in rural areas of northwest Florida. The results of empirical tests on the career choices of PIMS graduates in the first 20 years provide weak evidence that the program was more effective than the existing channels of medical education in producing additional primary care physicians to rural Florida counties.